Srimathi Radharani

Srimathi Radharani is the topmost devotee of Lord Krishna. Srimati Radharani is the Supreme Goddess and the queen of Vrindavana. Her name means that She is the most excellent worshiper of Lord Krishna. She has many famous friends, headed by Lalita and Vishakha. Her father is Vrishbhanu and Her mother is Kirtida Devi, who is also known by the name, Ratnagarbha Devi. Radharani’s elder brother is Sridama and her younger sister is Ananga-manjari. Jatila-devi is Radharani’s mother-in-law and Abhimanyu is Radharani’s so-called husband. Kutila-devi is Radharani’s sister-in-law. Srimati Radharani’s worshipable deity is the sun-god.

Srimati Radharani is expert in all the fine arts and Her transcendental form is like an ocean of nectar. Her splendid bodily luster is like the yellow pigment gorocana, molten gold, or stationary lightning. She wears wonderfully beautiful blue garments and She is decorated with various pearls and flowers.he is very beautiful and She has long nicely braided hair. She is decorated with a garland of flowers and a beautiful pearl necklace. Her splendid forehead is decorated with the red pigment sindura and with beautiful locks of curling hair. Decorated with blue bangles, Her arms have defeated Cupid’s staff with their beauty. Her nose is as beautiful as a sesame flower and it is nicely decorated with a pearl. She is anointed with various perfumes. She is splendidly beautiful.

25 Transcendental qualities of Srimati Radharani :

01. She is sweetness personified.

02. She is a fresh young girl.

03. Her eyes are always moving.

04. She is always brightly smiling.

05. She possesses all auspicious marks on her body.

06. She can agitate Krishna by the flavor of Her person.

07. She is expert in the art of singing.

08. She can speak very nicely and sweetly.

09. She is expert in presenting feminine attractions.

10. She is modest and gentle.

11. She is always very merciful.

12. She is transcendentally cunning.

13. She knows how to dress nicely.

14. She is always shy.

15. She is always respectful.

16. She is always patient.

17. She is very grave.

18. She is enjoyed by Krishna.

19. She is situated on the highest devotional platform.

20. She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula.

21. She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees.

22. She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors.

23. She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates.

24. She is the greatest amongst Krishna’s girlfriends.

25. She always keeps Krishna under Her control.

Mercy of Srimati Radharani

Srimati Radharani is the ideal maha-bhagvat. As the greatest devotee, She is also the most compassionate. She is unable to bear the suffering of the souls trapped in the material world. The word “aradhaya” (prayers) is derived from “Radha” and means “worshippable”. Similarly the word “aparadha” (offenses) means “against Radha”. When one performs devotional service, one is pleasing Srimati Radharani and when commits Vaishnava aparadha against Krishna or His devotees, one is offending Radharani. Srimati Radharani is the guardian, the mentor and the benefactor of all aspiring devotees. When a soul starts to inquire about Krishna, Srimati Radharani is most pleased and takes charge of his devotional advancements. As one makes progress, one continues to invoke the mercy of Srimati Radharani and when She is pleased, Krishna is automatically pleased.

Vrindavan Lila

When the Lord descends, He is invariably accompanied by His loving associates. Five thousand years when Sri Krishna descended in His original form, as a cowherd boy in Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani accompanied Him in Her original form. She appeared exactly two weeks after the appearance of Sri Krishna on the eighth day of the waning moon (ashtami). Srimati Radharani was found on a lotus flower by Vrashabhanu and his wife Kirtida near the village of Barsana, a few miles away from Nandagrama. It is said that Srimati Radharani first opened Her eyes only when Sri Krishna appeared before Her. Until that time Her eyes were closed.

Understanding the mellows of the relationship between Krishna and Radha is impossible from the mundane perspective. Understanding madhurya-rasa (devotion at the platform of intimacy), which is the highest level of relationship of a devotee with Krishna, is only possible in the most elevated stages of bhakti where there is not even a tinge of material contamination. Therefore Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has written: “The loving affairs of Radha and Krishna are not ordinary, material loving affairs, although they appear like that. Rascals and fools misunderstand Krishna to be an ordinary man. They do not know Krishna’s transcendental nature. They try to imitate Krishna’s rasa-lila, His dancing with the Gopis”. There is no offense greater than this. Devotees starting on the path of bhakti must carefully avoid such offenses. They must simply pray to Srimati Radharani, as their most compassionate Mother, for mercy, for bhakti and for an opportunity to serve Sri Krishna.

Sri Radhikastakam

Author: Rupa Goswami

Book Name: Stavamala

(1)

disi disi racayantim sascaran-netra-laksmi-vilasita-

khuralibhih khasjaritasya khelam

hrdaya-madhupa-mallim ballavadhisa-sunor

akhila-guna-gabhiram radhikam arcayami

(2)

pitur iha vrsabhanor anvavaya-prasastim

jagati kila samaste susthu vistarayantim

vraja-nrpati-kumaram khelayantim sakhibhih

surabhini nija-kunde radhikam arcayami

(3)

sarad-upacita-raka-kaumudi-natha-kirti-prakara-

damana-diksa-daksina-smera-vaktram

natad-aghabhid-apangottungitananga-rangam

kalita-ruci-tarangam radhikam arcayami

(4)

vividha-kusuma-vrndotphulla-dhammilla-dhati-vighat

ita-mada-ghurnat keki-pischa-prasastim

madhuripu-mukha-bimbodgirna-tambula-raga-sphurad-

amala-kapolam radhikam arcayami

(5)

amalina-lalitantah sneha-siktantarangam

akhila-vidha-visakha-sakhya-vikhyata-silam

sphurad-aghabhid-anargha-prema-manikya-petim

dhrta-madhura-vinodam radhikam arcayami

(6)

atula-mahasi vrndaranya-rajye ’bhisiktam

nikhila-samaya-bhartuh kartikasyadhidevim

aparimita-mukunda-preyasi-vrnda-mukhyam

jagad-agha-hara-kirtim radhikam arcayami

(7)

hari-pada-nakha-koti-prstha-paryanta-sima-tat

am api kalayantim prana-koter abhistam

pramudita-madiraksi-vrnda-vaidagdhya-diksa-gurum

ati-guru-kirtim radhikam arcayami

(8)

amala-kanaka-pattodghrsta-kasmira-gaurim

madhurima-laharibhih samparitam kisorim

hari-bhuja-parirabdham labdha-romasca-palim

sphurad-aruna-dukulam radhikam arcayami

(9)

tad-amala-madhurimnam kamam adhara-rupam

paripathati varistham susthu radhastakam yah

ahima-kirana-putri-kula-kalyana-candrah

sphutam akhilam abhistam tasya tustas tanoti

(1) “I worship Sri Radhika, Whose beautiful eyes flicker in all directions like restless playful wagtail birds, Who is the Malli-flower for the honeybee-heart of the son of the cowherd king (Krsna) and Who is deep with all attributes.”

(2) “I worship Sri Radhika, Who spreads the fame of Her father Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s well thoughout the world and Who plays with Her girlfriends and the prince of Vraja in Her own beautiful (or fragrant) pond.”

(3) “I worship Sri Radhika, Whose smiling submissive face is initiated in a vow to subdue the glories of the full autumnal moon (the lord of the lilies), Whose erotic pastimes are expanded by Krsna’s naughty side-long glances, and Who wears waves of elegance on Her body.”

(4) “I worship Sri Radhika, whose braided hair, which is filled with various kinds of blooming flowers, resembles the spread out tail of a peacock that is dizzy of amorous feelings, and whose spotless cheeks are coloured red with the pan that emanated from Madhuripu’s (Krsna’s) mouth.”

(5) “I worship Sri Radhika, Whose heart is sprinkled by pure intimate affection for Lalita, Whose all-round mood of friendship for Visakha is well known, Who is a box filled with priceless jewels of love for Krsna and Who is sweetly playful.”

(6) “I worship Sri Radhika, Who was crowned (with a ceremonial bathing) as the Queen of incomparably glorious Vrndavana, Who is the presiding goddess of the Kartika month, which is the best time of the year, Who is the chief of all the innumerable dear gopis of Mukunda, and whose fame destroys all the sins of the world.”

(7) “I worship Sri Radhika, Who looks upon even the backs of the extreme borders of Hari’s toe-nails as being dearer to Her than millions of hearts, who is the guru who initiates all the joyful, restless-eyed girls in the art of cleverness and whose glories are great.”

(8) “I worship Sri Radhika, Whose luster is of pure gold, like vermillion crushed on a golden slab, Whose adolescent beauty is surrounded by waves of sweetness, Who gets goosepimples of ecstasy when She is embraced by Hari’s arms, and Who wears a bright crimson dress.”

(9) “The moon of auspiciousness on the bank of the daughter of the sun (Yamuna), Sri Krsnacandra, will be satisfied with whoever nicely recites this best of prayers, Radhastakam, that is a spotless reservoir of erotic sweetness, and He will fulfill all the reciter’s desires.”